Mechanical battle.



1. BAILEY.

MECHANICAL BATTLE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT.19. 1916.

Patented Feb. 6, T917.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ae., k'

1.11. 1.111 1 11- 1111111111111 1 1111 1111 1||1.111111|111||1111111111111111 .1 1 w o 1 -A\1l`\11l o o |11W1$N 1n: vonnis mens w..Hum-urne.. wAsnmn um. n. c

l. BAILEY.

MECHANICAL BATTLE.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. I9. IsIs.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

El? eI err a JOSEPH BAILEY, OF NEWARK, NEW'JERSEY, ASSIGNOR GF ONE-HALFT0 HENRY A. JAEGER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

MECHANICAL BATTLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Application filed October 19, 1916. Serial No. 126,557.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, Josnrrr BAILEY, a citizen of the 'United States, anda. resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in MechanicalBattles, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXactspecification.

This invention relates to a class of amusement apparatus.

My invention has for its object primarily to provide a mechanicallyoperative apparatus whereby a naval battle especially may be reproducedin miniature for display on the stage of a theater and elsewhere, andwhich represents in an unusually interesting fashion a bombardment ofobjects on land as well as a battle between opposing iieets of warships.

The invent-ion consists essentially of one series7 or a plural series oftracks, and movable on each track Ivis a war vessel, the guns of anumber of which being provided with lamps whereby firing of the guns maybe represented, while in each of the other vessels may be a magazine forholding a quantity of combustible material to produce a red flame oflight. In each of the magazines in contact .with the combustiblematerial is a spark plug for igniting the material, and in cach vesselis a normally open electric circuit leading to each lamp and to eachspark plug for lighting the lamps as well as energizing the spark plugsat intervals, while in each circuit isone or more switches to permit thecircuit to be closed and opened.

Other objects of the invention are to provide at spaced intervals oneach track a.

trip to operate the switch or switches of each vessel to close thecircuit thereof when the vessel is moving; to provide objects as beingon land for bombardment; to provide one or more lamps in each object; toprovide a normally open electric circuit leading from one or more of thetracks to the lamps of each object; to provide on one or a number of thevessels a. switch for clos- .ing the circuit leading-to the objects atinfor successively lighting the lamps during the movement of thevessels.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinaftermore particularly described with referenceto the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification in which similar characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and will thenbe pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a top plan of one form of mechanical battleembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary View, partly brokenaway, showing a side elevation of one of the vessels used in the deviceas well as part of an electric circuit thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlargedfragmentary view showing a top plan of part of one of the tracks of theapparatus. Fig. i is a fragmentary sectional view, lpartly in detail,taken on the line IVIV of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary viewof part of the track shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partlybroken away, .of another form of a vessel employed in the apparatus.Fig. 7 is an elevation of a building serving as one of the land objectsused in the apparatus. Fig; 8 is a perspective view of one of theswitches used for-closing the circuit in each of the vessels. Fig. 9 isa diagrammatic view of one of the electric circuits employed in theapparatus. Fig. 1() is a diagrammatic view of another electric circuit,and Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view ofstill another electric circuit usedin the apparatus. The amusement apparatus, or mechanical battle may bearranged on a board, or support, as 10, of any desired shape and size,and part of the top surface of this support may be painted or otherwisedesigned to represent land, as l1, while the other portion of the topsurface of the support may be painted or designed to represent a watersurface, as 12. On the water surface 12 of rthe support may be one, or aplural series of tracks, as 13 and 14, each series being composed of asuitable number of spaced parallel tracks, for example four in number,as 15, l5, 15, 15C and 16, 16a, 1Gb, 16C, and the tracks of each seriesmay be rela tively disposed in any desired manner. All of the tracks arepreferably of similar formations, and each track may be formed of a pairof spaced corresponding channel, or substantially U-shaped members toprovide two spaced base-plates 19, 29, two spaced upwardly eXtendinginner flanges 21, 22, and two upwardly projecting outer flanges 23 and24, the members of each track being connected by a number of cross-rods25 provided at intervals between the inner flanges of Vthe track.

ril`he pair of .inner flanges of each track is of less height than theouter flanges, and movable on the upper edges of the inner flanges ofeach track of each series is a vessel preferably of a form representinga battle ship so that the battle ships on one series of tracks willrepresent a fleet, while the battle ships on the other series of trackswill represent an opposing fleet. A number ofv the battle ships, as 27,Fig. 2, are provided with guns, as 28, such as one in the fore and onein the aft of the ship, and one or more of the battle ships, as 29, Fig.6, are provided with a magazine, as 30, for holding a quantity ofcombustible material of any desired composition adapted to produce aflame of fire when ignited. Each of the battle ships 27 and 29 has ahollow hull 3l of a width so as to closely fit movably between the outerflanges of the track on which the ship is arranged, and projectingdownwardly from the underside of the hull of each ship may be anapertured lug, as 32. rlhe lug of each of the ships is movably disposedbetween the inner flanges of its respective track, and to the lug ofeach ship is attached one end of a line or cable 35. All of the cables35are arranged in the grooves, or spaces between the inner flanges ofthe tracks, and the other ends of the cables are connected to a drum, as36, which may be provided at one end of the tracks for being manually,or otherwise revolved by means of a handle 37 on one end of the drum sothat by rotating this drum the cables will be wrapped thereon forineving the ships forwardly on the tracks.

In order to represent firing of the guns of the ships 27 to produce theeffect of a battle between the opposing fleets, projecting from the freeends of the barrel of each of the guns 28 is a lamp 3S all of whiclrarepreferably adapted to be electrically lighted, and in the hull of eachof these ships is arranged a normally open electric circuit 39 Figs. 2and 9, Each of the circuits 39 may lead from. any suitable source ofsupply of electricity but each circuit preferably leads from a battery,as 40, carried in the hull of cach ship. Each of thecircuits 39 iscemposed of a wire 41 leading from one terminal of the battery 40 to awire 42 having each of its ends connected to one of the correspondingpoles of each of the lamps 38, and from the second terminal of thebattery is a wire 42 leading to a wire 43 having each of its endsconnected to one of the corresponding poles 44 of contacts 45 and 4Gprovided at spaced intervals on the eX- terior of the upper part of thehull of each of the ships 27, each of lthese contacts having a secondpele 47 which is slightly spaced from the pole 44 of its contact. To thesecond pole 47 of the contact 45 is a wire 48 leading to the second poleof one of the lamps 38, and to the pole 47 of the Contact 46 isconnected a wire 49 leading to the second pole of the other lamp 38. Byarranging the circuits 89 in this manner the'lamps of each battle shipmay be alternately lighted, and to give the effect of the guns beingfired the bulbs of each of the lamps may be of a red or other suitablecolor. To cause the circuit 39 of each of the ships 27 te be alternatelyclosed when the fleets are in action, the contacts 45 and 46 of eachcircuit are arranged in the pathv of movement of spaced switches, as 50and 5l, all ef which may be similarly formed. Each of the switches 50and 51 of each circuit has an elongated body 52, and one end of the bodyof each switch is pivoted, at 53, to the exterior of the hull of theship so that both switches of each ship may be swung upwardly anddownwardly to and from engagement with the contacts 45 and 46 of theelectric circuit of the ship. The other end of each of the switches isenlarged to form a head 54, and these heads are of sufficient weight tocause each switch to depend Vdownwardly in spaced relation to thecontacts 45 and 46. The switches may be of insulated material, and onthe top of the body 52 of each switch is a metal plate 55 of a length tobridge the poles of its contact.

By spacing the contacts 45 and 46 as well as the switches 50 and 5l onein the fore part of each ship and the other in the aft of the ship thelamps of each ship may be alternately .lighted when the switches of eachship are swung into engagement with the contacts of the electric circuitof the ship, and to accomplish this, l provide on the tracks of theships 27 a number of spaced trips, as 56, all being preferably alike information, and each of these trips has a Vplate 57 Fig. 2, with aprojecting linger, as 58, formed with a tapered, or beveled free end, asat 59, while through the central part of the plate is a verticallydisposed elongated opening 60. A desired number of the trips 56 arearranged at spaced intervals on the outer flange 24 of the tracks ofeach of the ships 27 so that the plates 57 will lie against the flangesand so that the fingers 58 of the plates will extend above the tracksfor the beveled edges 59 of the fingers to be in the path of movement ofthe swinging switches 50 and 5l of the ships, and to allow the platesand the fingers of the trips to be adjusted upwardly and downwardly forbeing properly contacted by the heads 54 of the switches, through theelongated opening 60 of each plate is passed a set screw, as 61, whichis threaded in an opening in the outer flange of its track.

'When the drum 36 is revolved to wrap the cables 35 of the ships 27thereon to move these ships a battle between the ships of the fleetswill be represented when the switch 51 of the electric circuit of eachship contacts with one of the trips 56, the trips being adjusted so thatthe. fingers 58 thereof will cause the switches 51 to be swung upwardlyto engagement with the contacts 46 of the electric circuits of theships. The electric circuit of each of the ships 27 will then be closedfrom the battery 40, over the wire 42 to one pole of the lamp 38 in thefore part of the ship, and from the battery the circuit will pass overthe wire 42a, and over the wire 48, through the switch 51, and over thewire 49 to the second pole of this lamp which in turn will be lightedfor an instant as the switch 51 of each ship after passing over eachtrip will be automatically lowered by reason of the weight of its head54 for releasing the switch from engagement with the contact 46 toextinguish the light of these lamps. Then the ships 27 are moved fartheralong the tracks the switches 50 of the electric circuits of the shipswill likewise co act with the trips, to cause the switch 50 of each shipto be swung into engagement with the Contact 45 of the electric circuitof the ship. The circuit will thereby be closed from the battery 40,over the wire 42 to one pole of the lamp 38 in the aft of the ship, andfrom the battery the current will .flow over the wire 42, over the wire43, through the switch 52, and over the wire 48 to the second pole ofthis second lamp. The lamps in the aft of the ships 27 will thereby belighted also for an instant to represent iii-ing of the guns, as theselamps will be extinguished in the manner above explained when theswitches 5() are freed from engagement with the trips.

To cause one or more of the lamps of the ships 27 to be lighted andextinguished in quick succession for representing an active bombardmentat intervals during the progress of the battle, on the track of each ofthese ships may be arranged a series of movable trips, as 62. Each ofthe trips 62 consists of a belt 63 of a. suitable length, and each beltis guided over a pair of pulleys 64 and 65 revolubly arranged on theflange 24 of the track ef each of the ships` the pulleys of each pairbeing spaced so that the belt thereon will be held quite taut.Projecting from the `belt 63 of each of the movable trips 62 are anumber of spaced fingers 66, and these fingers of each belt are disposedin the path of movement of theswitches 50 and 51 of the electric circuit39 of each of the ships 27. When the battle ships 27 are moved on thetracks provided with these movable trips the switches 51 and 50 of theelectric circuit of each ship will consecutively contact with thefingers 66 for operating the switches to close the circuit in a waysimilar to closing the circuits of the ships by the'trips 56, ashereinbefore explained, and when it is desired to light the lamps inquick succession to represent a very active bombardment the belts 63with the fingers 66 of one or all of the movable trips may be rapidlymoved on the pulleys 64 and 65 by manually turning a crank handle 67provided on the shaft 68 of the pulley 64 of each of these trips.

The battle ships 29 are provided for representing one or more of theships of each fleet as set on fire during the bombardment by the otherships 27, and part of the hull of each of the ships 29 at the magazine30 may be cut-out to provide an opening which is closed by a red orother colored plate of glass, as 69, so that when the combustiblematerial, as 7 0, is ignited the flame will apa pea-r in coloraccordingly. Arranged in the magazine 30 of each of the ships 29v is aspark plug 71, and the spark plug of each of the ships is energizedthrough the medium of a normally open electric circuit 72,

Figs. 6 and 10, provided in each ship. Each of the circuits 72 may leadfrom any source of electricity supply, preferably from a battery, as 73, arranged in each of the ships 29,

and from one terminal of each of these bat- I. "l"

teries is a wire 74 leading to one pole of the spark plug of itsrespective circuit. From the second terminal of the battery in each shipis a wire 75 leading to one pole 76 of a contact 77 having a second pole78 which is spaced from the pole 76, this contact of the circuit cf eachship being provided eXteriorly of the ,hull of the ship. From the pole78 of the contact 77 of each circuit is a wire 79 leading` to the Secondpole'of the spark plug of the circuit of each ship, and to producesullicient resistance in each of these circuits to energize the sparkplugs 71 for igniting the combustible material in the magazines in eachcircuit is provided an induction coil, as 80, the ends of the wires ofwhich are connected to the wires 75 and 79. To permit the circuit 72 ofeach of the ships 29 to be alternately closed and opened for energizingthe spark plug 71 thereof, on the exterior of the hull of each of theseships is a switch, as 81. rlhe switches 81 are similarly formed to theswitches 50 and 51 of the electric circuits of the ships 27 as well asbeing arranged on the ships 29 so Aes 55 will engage the poles of thecontact 77, and the electric circuit 72 of the ship will be closed fromthe battery 7 8, over the wire 74 to one pole of the spark plug 71, andthe current will be delivered over the wire 75 to the contact 77,through the switch 81, and over the wire 79 to the second pole of theplug which in turn will be energized to produce a spark for igniting thecombustible material in the magazine 30 of each of the ships 29. One ormore of the ships 29 of each iieet may thereby be represented as beingset on fire during the battle between the fleets, and the switches 81 ofthe electric circuits 72 are operated at intervals to close the circuitof each ship by providingone or more spaced trips on the track 82 eachbeing` of a similar formation to the trips 56 as well as co-acting withthe switches 81 in the same manner as above explained.

For the purpose of representing objects on land as being bombarded byone or both lieets as well as being destroyed, on the land portion 11 of`the support 10 may be provided a number of objects in the forms ofbuildings, as 88 and 84. These buildings may be of any desired types,and in parts of each building may be provided openings covered with red,or other colored plates of glass, as 85, while the windows and doors ofthe buildings may be likewise covered with colored glass. nteriorly ofeach of the buildings may be a suitable number of amps 8G of formsadapted to be lighted by electric circuits 87 and 88. Each of theelecric circuits 87 and 88 may lead from one of the tracks on which oneof the ships 27 is movable, and in order to represent the destruction ofone, or more oi' the buildings at periods immediately subsequent to thefiring of the ships on the respective tracks, included. in each of thecircuits may be one of the trips 56 for iirst operating the switches 50and 51 to close the circuit 89 of each ship whereby the lamps thereofmay be lighted to cause a representation ol. the bombardment oi the landobjects. The circuit 87 may lead from any suitable source of supply oielectricity, such as a battery 89, and from one terminal of thislbattery is a wire 90 leading to the trip 56 toward which the ship ismoving. Connected to the trip 56 is a wire 91 leading to one oil thepoles of the lamp in one of the buildings, and from the second pole ofthis lamp is a wire 92 leadingto one of the poles of the lamp in thesecond building, as shown in Fig. l.

When a number of lamps are used in one or more of the buildings so as tobe lighted simultaneously the lamps may be wired in series in anysuitable manner, for example, as shown in Fig. 7, the second series maybe connected by a wire, as 92a, while from one of the poles of one ofthe second series may be a wire 92b leading to the Wire 91. From thesecond terminal of the battery 89 is a wire 93 leading t0 a contact 941to which is connected a switch, or bridge, as 95, Fig. 2, which is liXedon the track of the moving ship 27 contiguous to the trip 56, and thisswitch'is also connected to a contact 96 from which leads a wire 97 tothe second pole of one of the lamps connected by the wire 92. Leadingfrom the wire 98 is a wire 98 having its other end connected to a switch99 adapted to be manually swung into and out of engagement with acontact 100. This switch is arranged on the track of the moving ship forallowing the circuit 87 to be opened and closed at suitable intervals t0cut-in and cut-out this circuit, andfrom the contact 100 is a wire 101leading to the second pole of one of the lamps connected by 'the wire92a. The circuit 88 leads from one of the tracks of the second fleet ofships to the circuit 87 by two wires 102 and 108 one being connected tothe wire 91 of the circuit 87, while the wire 103 leads to the wire 101also of the circuit 87. The current passing over these wires aresupplied from a second` battery 104, from the terminals of which arewires arranged similar to the wires of the circuit 87, and in which areprovided one of the trips 56, a fixed switch V105 and a manuallyoperative switch 106, Fig. 1, these switches corresponding respectivelyto the switches 95 and 99 of the circuit 87 so as to be likewiseoperated for lighting the lamps in the land objects by one of the shipsof the second fleet when desired. Both of the electric circuits areadapted to be closed independent of each other, and to close thecircuits by the ships when moving on the tracks thereof on the undersideof the hull of each ship is metal shoe 107, and these shoes are arrangedto contact with the switches 95 and 105 when the ships are movedaccordingly on the tracks. For instance, when one of the ships 27 ismoved on its track, and when it is desired to represent the bombardmentof the land objects by lighting the lamps 86 with the electric circuit87 this circuit is closed by swinging the switch 99 into engagement withthe Contact 100 of the switch. When the ship is moved to this electriccircuit one of the lamps 38 will be lighted to represent the bombardmentof the land objects by the circuit 89 of the ship being closed bysuccessive co-action between the switches 51 and 50 and the trip 56 ofthis circuit, as hereinbefore explained, and when the ship is moved sothat its shoe 107 sub-v sequently contacts with the stationary switch 95o the circuit, the circuit will be closed 'from one terminal of thebattery 89, over the wire 90, through the trip 56, over the wire 91, tothe lamps, and the second terminal of the battery of the circuit will beclosed over the wire 98, through the switch 95, over the wire 97; alsoover the wire 98,

through the switch 99, over the wire 101, and through wires 92, 92h and90 to and through the lamps, the circuit 88 being closed in a similarmanner from its battery 104 to the lamps in the land objects when loneof the ships 27 of the second fleet is moved on its track to likewiseclose this circuit over its respective wires after the switch 106 of thecircuit is closed.

In the foregoing description, I have embodied thc preferred form of myinvention, but I do not wish to be understood as limiting myselfthereto, as I am aware that modilications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the principle, or sacrificing any of the advantages ofthis invention, therefore I reserve to myself the right to make suchchanges as fairly fall Within the scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, awar ship member movable on each track and having guns, a lamp on each ofthe guns, a normally open electric circuit on each ship member leadingto each lamp for lighting the lamps, operative means on each ship memberwhereby the electric circuit may be closed and opened, and a trip oneach track, adapted when the ship members are moved to coact with theoperative means of each ship member to close the circuit thereof so thatthe lamps may be lighted.

2. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track and having guns, a lamp on each of the guns, anormally open electric circuit on each ship member leading to each lampfor lighting the lamps, a switch on each ship member whereby theelectric circuit may be closed and opened, and a trip on each track,adapted when the ship members are moved to coact with the switch of eachship member to close the circuit thereof so that the lamps may belighted.

3. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovableon each track and having guns, a lamp on each of the guns, anormally open electric circuit on each ship member leading to each lampfor lighting the lamps, a plurality* of switches on each ship memberwhereby the electric circuit may be closed and opened to alternatelylight the lamps, and a plurality ofspaced trips on each track, adaptedwhen the ship members are moved to coact with each switch of each shipmember to close the circuit thereof so that the lamps may besuccessively lighted.

4. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks,a war ship membermovable on each track and 'having guns, a lamp on each of the guns, anormally/'open electric circuit on 4of each ship will be successivelylighted.

5. `In a mechanical battle, a'plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track and having guns, a lamp on each of 'the guns, anormally open electric circuit `on each ship member leading to each lampfor lighting the lamps, operative means on each ship member whereby theelectric circuit may be closed and opened, a plurality of l spacedstationary trips on each track, adapted when the ship members are movedto coact with the operative means of each ship meinber to close thecircuit thereof at intervals so that the lamps may be successivelylighted, and a movable series of trips on each track to operate theoperative means for closing the circuit of each ship to cause the lampsto be lighted in quick succession independent of the lighting of thelamps by the stationary trips.

G. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track and having guns, a lamp on each of the guns, anormally open electric circuit on each ship member leading to each lampfor lighting the lamps, a switch on -each ship member whereby theelectric circuit may be closed and opened, a plurality of spacedstationary trips on each track, adapted when the ship members are movedto coact with the switch of each ship member to close the circuitthereof at intervals so that the lamps may be successively lighted, anda movable series of trips on each track to operate the switch of eachship member for closing the circuit of the ship to cause the lamps to belighted in quick succession independent of the lighting of the lamps bythe stationary trips.

7. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war .shipmember-movable on each track and having guns, a lamp on each of theguns, a normally open electric circuit on each ship member leading toeach lamp for lighting the lamps, a plurality of switches on each shipmember whereby the electric circuit may be'closed and opened toalternately light the lamps, a plurality of spaced stationary trips oneach track, adapted when the ship members are moved to coact with eachswitch of each ship member to close the circuit thereof so that thelamps may be successively lighted, and a movable series of trips on eachtrack to operate the switches of each ship member for closing thecircuit of the ship to cause the lamps ,to be lighted in quicksuccession independent of the lighting of the lamps by the stationarytrips on each track.

8. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track, each with a magazine for combustible material, a.spark plug in each magazine in contact with the combustible material, anormally open electric circuit on each ship member whereby the sparkplug of cach ship may be separately energized, operative means on eachship whereby the electric circuit may be opened and closed, and a tripon each track, adapted when the ship members are moved to coact with theoperative means of each ship member to close the circuit thereof so thatspark plugs may be separately energized at' intervals.

9. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a w'ar ship membermovable on each track, each with a magazine for combustible material., aspark plug in. each magazine in contact with the combustible material, anormally open electric circuit on each ship member whereby the sparkplug of each ship may be separately energized, a switch on each shipwhereby the electric circuit may be opened and closed, and a trip oneach track, adapted when the Ship members are moved to coact with theswitch of each ship member to close the circuit thereof so that thespark plugs may be separately energized at intervals.

l0. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track each with a magazine for combustible material, aspark plug in each magazine in Contact with the combustible material, anormally open electric circuit on each ship member whereby the sparkplug of each ship may be separately energized, and means whereby theelectric circuit may be closed to separately energize the spark plugs atintervals.

1l. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track, a number of the ship members being.

provided with guns while each of the others is provided with a magazinefor combustible material, a lamp on each of the guns, a spark plug ineach magazine in contact with the combustible material, a normally openelectric circuit on each ship member whereby the lamps may bealternately lighted and the spark plug of each ship may be separatelyenergized, operative means on each ship whereby the electric circuit maybe opened and closed, and a trip on each track, adapted when the shipmembers are moved to coact with the operative means of each ship memberto close the circuit thereof so that the lamps may be lighted and sothat the spark plugs may be energized at intervals.

12. lfn a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track, a number of the ship members being provided withguns while each of the others is provided with a magazine forcombustible material, a lamp on each of the guns, a

spark plug in cach magazine in contact with the combustible material, anormally open electric circuit on each ship member whereby the lamps maybe alternately lighted and the spark plug of each ship may be separatelyenergized, a switch on each ship whereby the electric circuit may beopened and closed, and a trip on each track, adapted when the shipmembers are moved to coact with the switch of each ship member to closethe circuit thereof so that the lamps may be lighted and so that thespark plugs may be energized at intervals.

13. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track, a number of the ship members being provided withguns while each of the others is provided with a magazine forcombustible material, a lamp on each of the guns, a spark plug in eachmagazine in Contact with the combustible material, a normally openelectric circuit on each ship member whereby the lamps may bealternately lighted and the spark plug of each ship may be separatelyenergized, means on each ship whereby the electric circuit may be closedso that the lamps may be lighted and so that the spark plugs may beenergized at intervals.

14. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track and having guns, a lamp on each of the guns, anormally open electric circuit on each ship member leading to each lampfor lighting the lamps, operative means on each ship member whereby theelectric circuit may be closed and opened, a trip on each track, adaptedwhen the ship members are moved to coact with the operative means ofeach ship member to close the circuit thereof so that the lamps may belighted, a land object with lamps therein, an electric circuit leadingfrom the track of one of the ship members to the lamps of the objects,and means whereby the latter circuit may be closed to light the lamps inthe land objects following the lighting of the lamps in the ship.

l5. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track and having guns, a lamp on each of the guns, anormally open electric circuit on each ship member leading to each lampfor lighting the lamps, a switch on each ship member whereby theelectric circuit may be closed and opened, a trip on each track, adaptedwhen the ship members are moved to coact with the switch of each shipmember to close the circuit thereof so that the lamps may be lighted, aland object with lamps therein, an electric circuit leading from thetrack of one of the ship members to the lamps of the objects, and meanswhereby the latter circuit may be closed to light the lamps in the landobjects following the lighting of the lamps in the ship.

16. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track and having guns, a lamp on each of the guns, anormally open electric circuit on each ship member leading to each lampfor lighting the lamps, operative means on each ship member whereby theelectric circuit may be closed and opened, a plurality of spacedstationary trips on each track, adapted when the ship members are movedto coact with the operative means of each ship member to close thecircuit thereof at intervals so that the lamps may be successivelylighted, a movable series of trips on each track to operate theoperative means for closing the circuit of each ship to cause the lampsto be lighted in quick succession independent of the lighting of thelamps by the stationary trips, a land object with lamps therein, anelectric circuit leading from the track of one of the ship members tothe lamps of the objects, and means whereby the latter' circuit may beclosed to light the lamps in the land objects following the lighting ofthe lamps in the ship.

oluO' in each magazine' in contact with the combustible material, anormally open electric circuit on each ship whereby the lamps may bealternately lighted and the spark plug of each ship may be separatelyenergized, operative means on each ship whereby the electric circuit maybe opened and closed, a plurality of spaced stationary trips on eachtrack, adapted when the ship members are moved to coact with theoperative means of each ship member to close the circuit thereof atintervals so that the lamps may be successively lighted and so that thespark plugs Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, byaddressing' the Commissioner of Patents,

member may be energized at intervals, a land object with lampsA therein,an electric circuit leading from the track of one of the ship members tothe lamps of the objects, and means whereby the latter circuit may beclosed to light the lamps in the land objects following the lighting ofthe lamps in the ship.

1S. In a mechanical battle, a plurality of tracks, a war ship membermovable on each track, a number of the ship members being provided withguns while each of the others is provided with a magazine forcombustible material, a lamp on each of the guns, a spark plug in eachmagazine in contact with the combustible material, a normally openelectric circuit on each ship member whereby the lamps may bealternately lighted and the spark plug of each ship may be separatelyenergized, operative means on each ship whereby the electric circuit maybe opened and closed, a plurality of spaced stationary trips on cachtrack, adapted when the ship members are moved to coact with theoperative means of each ship member to close the circuit thereof atintervals so that thc lamps may be successively lighted and so that thespark plugs may be energized at intervals, a movable series of trips oneach track to operate the operative means for closing the circuit ofeach ship with lamps to cause the lamps to be lighted in quicksuccession independent of the lighting of the lamps bythe stationarytrips, a land object with lamps therein, an electric circuit leading tothe lamps of the object from the track of one of the ships with lamps,and means whereby the latter circuit may be closed to light the lamps inthe land object following the lighting of the lamps in the ship.

This specification signed and witnessed this 18th day of October, A. D.1916.

JOSEPH BAILEY. Vitnesses:

GEORGE F. BENTLEY, H. A. JAEGER.

Washington, D. C.

